The Word of God is filled with verses that illustrate the importance of WORDS. And Hebrews 4:14 illustrate this, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”
The word translated “profession” in the King James in the same Greek word translated “confession” elsewhere.
In the margin of my Bible opposite this verse is the note “in the Greek, confession.” I looked up this word in the Greek concordance, read other translations, and found that the Greek text actually says, “Let us hold fast to saying the same thing.”
Notice again that WORDS are involved.
More than 40 years ago, as a Baptist boy on a bed of sickness, I began to understand Mark 11:23, "whosoever shall say…and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” In other words, he will have THE WORDS he speaks.
Believe and Say
Born and reared a Southern Baptist , I was taught to believe for salvation and to believe the Bible. When I saw these truths in Mark 11:23, I believed them. The thing that had kept me bedfast for 16 months was not knowing how to turn my faith loose.
You won’t get the blessings of God just because you have faith. You won’t get healed or baptized in the Holy Spirit just because you have faith. You won’t get answers to prayer just because you have faith. Most Christians think they will, but they are wrong. The Bible does not teach it.
The Bible teaches that you get saved because you believe and say something - not just because you believe.
Romans 10:9,10 – That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.
Not only does you heart have something to do something to do with your salvation, your mouth has something to with it, too! WORDS have something to do with it.
The Bible does not say simply that if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved. You will not be saved just because you believe it. Notice in the 10th verse the phrase “with the mouth.” With the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Praise the Lord!
Mark 11:23: Whosoever…shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he says.
Jesus did not teach in Mark 11:23, “he shall have whatsoever he believeth.” He taught, “he shall have whatsoever he saith!” In other words, you will have what you speak. You will have your WORDS.
Faith Must be Released in WORDS
Faith is always expressed in WORDS. Faith must be released in WORDS through your mouth. We can see that in all of these Scriptures we have read. When you speak something, that is action. It took me a long time to discover that, 16 months of being bedfast – because nobody had ever taught me that!
I’m not talking about the WORDS you speak in church, or the WORDS you use when you pray. I’m talking about the WORDS you use in your everyday life: the WORDS you speak at home, with your friends, at work. These everyday WORDS do three things to you and for you.
1. The WORDS you speak identify you.
2. The WORDS you speak set the boundaries of your life.
3. The WORDS you speak affect your spirit (your inward man).
If you want to locate yourself, just listen to the WORDS you speak. You’ll never realize beyond your WORDS. To put it another way, Jesus said in Mark 11:23, “he shall have whatsoever he saith.”
Double Confession
The thing that defeats a lot of people is their double confession. One time they will confess one thing, and the next time they will confess something else.
If you talk to them, they will say, “Yes, the Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Yes, I know that it says in Philippians 4:19, ‘My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus,’ and I’m believing God to supply my needs.”
But then they will see somebody down the block, in the store, or at church. They will have their mind on their problems, and they will say, “Well, we’re not doing too well. We’re so far behind in our bills, we’re about to lose our car and everything.”
What about that other confession? This second confession nullified the first. Learn to say the same thing. In Greek, Hebrews 4:14 literally says, “Let us hold fast to saying the same thing.”
Never, never give up! No, it’s not easy. If you’re looking for something easy, you might as well give up and crawl in your hole and die. You’re not worth a thing.
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
The Bible said, “fight”. I think that’s as far as some people read. They started fighting. They thought that meant fight other churches, or fellow Christians. No, that’s not what it said in 1 Timothy 6:12. You’re supposed to fight “the good fight of faith.”
In this fight, you’ve got to fight all of your physical senses. Sometimes you’ve got to fight what all of your relatives say. Sometimes you’ve got to fight what the pastor says. Sometimes you’ve got to fight what all the church members say. Sometimes you’ve got to fight what a Sunday School teacher says. I know. I’ve been there.
There were times I made a confession and ignored everybody. It was a fight to do it, because they were all telling me I was wrong and it wouldn’t work. It did work; it does work.
Too many people are looking for somebody to do something for them. I can’t fight your fight, and you can’t fight my fight. You’ll have to fight your own fight.
Your WORDS are so important. You need to realize that! They set the boundaries of your life. You will never realize anything beyond the words you speak. You will never have anything beyond your own words.
The following Scripture verses illustrate the importance of WORDS:
Proverbs 18:21 – Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 21:23 – Whoever guards his mouth and tongue, Keeps his soul from troubles.
Matthew 12:37 – For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Mark 11:23 – For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says.
What is your confession?
Source: Words by Kenneth E. Hagin.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Rev. Hagin served in Christian ministry for nearly 70 years and was known as the "father of the modern faith movement." His teachings and books are filled with vivid stories that show God's power and truth working in his life and the lives of others.
